Pipe hanger



S. S. KOLODIN Feb. 2, 1960 PIPE HANGER Filed Feb. 13, 1956 INVENTOR SAMUEL S. KOLODIN.

ATT NEY United States Patent v PIPE HANGER Samuel srKolodin, New City, N.Y.

Application February 13, 1956, Serial No. 565,091 1 Claim. (01..248-62) This invention rela'testoa pipe-hanger.

The present application involves an improvement over The conventional pipe hanger consists 'of an upper strap-which is supported by a vertical rod or bolt from a ceiling or other support, a lower strap which carries the pipe, anda bolt which attaches the lower strap to the upper strap, including a nut. Thousands of pipe hangers are used in virtually every industrial building, warehouse and thelike. In'such quantities, the cost of the bolts alone becomes quite significant and in addition to that is the time consumed in inserting each bolt through said upper and lower straps and attaching a nut thereto. In a given installation, the time and labor consumed in inserting thousands of bolts and attaching thousands of nuts assume very substantial proportions. Consequently, the industry has long sought a pipe hanger which would eliminate the need of a bolt, which would be less costly than a conventional bolt-type pipe hanger, and which would be very simple to install without departing from conventional pipe hanging methods and practices.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a two-piece pipe hanger which requires no bolts or other fastening means to secure the two parts together. One of these parts is a strap which is supported by a conventional bolt or rod from a ceiling or similar support. This strap corresponds to the upper strap of a conventional bolt-type pipe hanger and it is generally of inverted U- shape. The other part corresponds to the lower strap of'a conventional bolt-type pipe hanger but it is not made ofconventional strap material. Instead, it consists of a rodbent to generally U-shape with its upper ends bent inwardly and downwardly to form-a pair of hooks. Holes for these'hooks are provided in the upper strap member and in order to assemble said U-shaped rod to said strap member, all that need be done is to hook the upper ends of the U-shaped rod into the holes of'the' upper strap member,-andthe job is done.

An important feature of this invention is the means for removably locking the U-shaped rod in engagement with the upper strap member. This feature involves the provision of elongated holes in the upper strap member to receive the hook-shaped portions of the U-shaped rod. A pair of-ears or lugs are'pressed out of the metal of said upper strap-member and into each of said elongated holes. These ears are engageable with the hook-shaped portions of said U-shaped rod to the extent that'it becomes necessary to snap said hook-shaped portions past said ears in either direction. Accidental displacement of the U-shaped rods from said upper strap members becomes ditficult, if not impossible;:. but when' it :is :.desired: te -remove them from said upper strap-members, all that need*be done is to .tap them with a hammer so as to by-pass 'the ears.

It will be understood that it is usually necessary to 'attach or detach'said U-shaped rods while the pipe which they support or are-intended to support remains elevated in'its normally supported position or slightly above 'such position. A requirement of a suitable pipe hanger, there-" fore, is that'it be mountable or demountable without any interference by or with such hanging pipe. In the use of the present pipe hanger,"the upper strap'member is secured to a sealing rod or bolt in conventional manner and a pipe is then held by temporary supportsimmed iately below said upper strap member. This is also a conventional practice. And finally, the U shaped rod is simply hooked into engagement with saidupper strap j member and the pipe may then be laid thereon. It 'is at this stage of the installation that the bolt-inserting and nut-engaging operation would normally take place'but'in the use of the present device said operation is entirely obviated.

The invention is illustrated. in the accompanying draw-' ing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of'a pipe hanger made inaccord strap member 12 and a lower U-shaped rod 14; The" upper strap member 12' is made of a hat bar of steel of suitable dimensions. For example, for relatively light work said strap may be made of one-eighth inch stock, perhaps an inch wide. For heavier work a quarter-inch bar would be requiredand for still heavier work an even heavier bar. The width of the bar would depend in great measure upon the diameter of thesupporting vertical rod or bolt 16 since it is necessary to provide a hole 18 in the bar to receive said vertical rod or bolt. Said rod or bolt may be half an inch in diameter or thicker,- depending upon the weight of the load to be supported thereby.

More specifically, strap 12 is providedwith' a central yoke portion 12a through which said'hole 18 is formed. This central yoke portion is a relatively flat portion which normally occupies a substantially horizontal plane. It" receives the rod or bolt 16 and upper and lower nuts 20 and 22 are screwed to said rod or bolt on opposite sides" of said yoke to lock the strap 12 'the'reto." This 'is conventional.

ders may vary but in the preferred form ofthe invention they extend at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to The lower ends 12d and: 122 of said shoulders are bentinwardly from the shoulders and the yoke portion 12a;

toward the vertical.

shoulder.

25 which are pressed out of the metal of which the upper strap member is made.

Patented Feb. 2, 1960 The space between. these ears is slightly smaller than the diameter of'the :U-shapedrod so: that'it becomes necessary to :snap said -U-shapedrrod'=3: pastsaid earsv both whenit is desired torengagm'saidsu a desired to disengage it therefrom.

It will be observed that openings 24 are formed in the two shoulder portions,-one such opening in each shoulder...

These openingsare tapered from relatively large proportions at their upper end to relatively small proportions at their lower end. The precise dimensions of these openings' are determined by the 4 rod 14. and more particularly the diameter of as will shortly appear.

dimensions of the Ushaped said rod,

14 consists mainly of a generally U- shaped lower portion 14a whose arms are bent outwardly and upwardly to form a double-bend 14b, a pair of upper arm portions 140 and 140! respectively, said upper arm portions extending from and above said double bend portions; anda pair of hook-shaped end portions 14:: and 14f respectively whichare formed at the upper ends .of said upper arm portions I Ushaped portion 14a, belowfthe double bend portions 14b, tend to diverge in upward direction so that they are farther apart immediately adjacent tions than they are at their lower ends. The size and curvature of said Ushaped portion 14b are dependent upon the diameter of the pipe to be supported thereby.

The interrupted lines 30 designate a pipe adapted to be supported by the pipe hanger shown in the drawing. -It will be understood that the diverging arms of the U- shaped portion 14a render a wedging efiect of the pipe between them. The weight of the pipe would wedge it into said Ushaped portion.

The upperarm portions 14c and 14d are disposed in generally vertical, parallel positions. They are offset by thedoublebend portions 14b from the lower Ushaped portion 14a so as to enable them to receive the upper strap member 12 between them, and more particularly its lower'end portions 12d and 12e; -This is an important featureof the invention since it provides sufiicient clearancebetween-t he Ushaped rod 14 and the upper strap member12 to' render it possible to attach said Ushaped rod to or detach it from said upper strap member, while said upper strap member is fully secured to the support 16 and whether or not the pipe is held in position adjacent said upper strap member. 1 v

The hook-shaped portions Me and 14 are simply the upper ends of the arms 14c and 14d bent inwardly and downwardly. When the U-shaped'rod 14 is elevated a short distance above. its Fig. 1 positon, the hook-shaped portions Hand 14 will clear the shoulders 12b and 120 of the upper strap member. The Ushaped rod 14 maybe brought into such position bymoving it upwardly a laterally spaced distance from the upper strap member 12 and it may then. be moved horizontally until the hookshaped portions 14e and 141 are disposed above the shoulders 12b and 120 of said upper strap member. It will now be observed that the holes 24 are so situated in shoulders 12b and 120 that the ends of said hook-shaped portions register with the upper ends of said holes above the ears 25. The Ushaped rod 14 may now be lowered to its Fig. 1 position and said hook-shaped portions 14e and 14f will enter said holes 24 and snap past said ears and thereby lodge in their lower ends.

The inherent tendency of the Ushaped rod or member 14 under the weight of the pipe load would be to bend its arms inwardly. This, in turn, would tend to bend the shoulders of the upper strap member 12 downwardly and inwardly. To counteract this tendency, the wedging action of the pipe against the arms of said Ushaped member 14 will tend to spread them out, thereby easing the lateral moment or strain upon the shoulders of the upper strap member 12.

By the same token, the lower ends 12d and 12a of said upper strap member will themselves abut the arms 14c and 14d of the Ushaped member 14 upon any inward movement of said arms in order to limit and resist such movement. It will be observed that the hook-shaped the double bend por-.

it possible, if desired, to provide 14c and14d. The arms of the m m e s? a d f ex end a angle otapprgrigetelt 45 degrees to the vertical and at an angle of approxi mately 90 degrees to the shciiilders 12b and 12c of the upper strap member. Consequently, said hook-shaped portions 14c and 14 are disposed fiat against'the walls of openings 24 at theirlower ends. This provides a good bearing support for the hook shaped members and also enables them to exert a camming'action or force against the shoulders of the upper strap member tending to urge them out-wardly. This would tend to fcounteract the tendency of the upper strap member to bend-inwardly under the weight of the load.

Turning now to Fig. 3, it will be obsepved'tha'ta'U- shaped or V-shaped member-40 isprovided as a modified form of the Ushaped member 14 above described. The arms 40a and 40b of said member 40 extend upwardly and diverge from their lower to their upper ends. At their upper ends are hook-shaped members. .400 :and40d respectively which are simplythe upper-end slof the arms bent inwardly and downwardly to correspond to the.

stantially the same curvature as the corresponding portion 14a of the member 14 above described and the two book shaped members 400 and 40d are spaced approximately the same distance apart as the hook-shaped members 14eand 14 In effect, arms 40a and 40b simply eliminatethe 7 double bend 14-b above described but .in' principle the member 40 is identical with themember 14.and itrnay be used in conjunction with the same upper strapzmember :12 a

in precisely the same manner as above described.

The foregoing is' 'llustrative of preferred .formsoftthis i' V invention and it will be understood that these forms may be modified and other forms providedwithin the broad spirit of the invention and the broad scope of the claim.

I claim:

A pipe hanger of the character described, comprising i an upper-inverted Ushaped strap member and a lower therein to receive said hook-shaped upper end portionsand thereby toengage said Ushaped rod member with;-

said strap member, the armsof said Ushaped rod mem; her being spaced apart a sufficient distance 'to clear the strapmember to'permitoflateral movement of said; U-

shaped rod member relative to the-strap member in order 1 to bring said hook-shaped upper'end portions into engagement with said holes, said strap member being provided with a hole intermediate said first mentioned holes to receive a vertically disposed supporting rod and said .U-

shaped rod member being adapted to receive and support a horizontally disposed pipe, said upper strap. member consisting of a central yoke portion and apair of outwardly and downwardly sloping shoulders integrally connected 1 therewith, said central yoke portion having a hole formed therein to receive a supporting rod, the holes for said hook-shaped portions being elongated and tapered in shape and provided in said shoulders, the holes in the shoulders I being elongated longitudinally'of the upper strap member and being provided with laterally inwardly projecting ears which are 'engageable with the hook-sl'i'aped portions of the Ushaped member requiring that said hook-shaped portions be snapped past said earsboth when they are brought into engagement with said upper strap member and when they are moved: out of engagement therewith, downwardly extending end portions being provided at the far ends of the shoulders, said downwardly extending end portions being adapted to engage thearms of the -U- shaped member to prevent said arms from flexing in'- wardly under the weight of a loadsupported on the yoke oi 'said' U -shaped member.

. (References on. following pagel}. 1'.

References Cited in the file of this patent 1,904,315 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 :23:? 437,018 Clemens Sept. 23, 1890 801,409 Smith Oct. 10, 1905 5 1,450,640 Norman Apr. 3, 1923 415 892 1,698,571 Van Cleve Jan. 8, 1929 Kenway Apr. 18, 1935 Miller June 3, 1941 Land Apr. 5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 6, 1934- 

